Episode 182: Report
A man visited Aisha early in the morning at the Metropolitan Police Department’s detention center.
“Well, well, this is a rare visitor,” Aisha said, sitting back in her chair with her arms crossed. On the other side of the acrylic panel was Yasugi from the Japan Dungeon Association.
The dapper scholar, dressed in a custom-made suit, looked down on Aisha with disdain.
“I felt sorry for a fallen colleague. I stopped by before a meeting,” Yasugi said, slowly lowering himself into the pipe chair in the visiting room.
“How kind of you, despite your busy schedule. I’m sure you’re swamped with useless meetings?” Aisha quipped, and Yasugi chuckled and shook his head.
“I heard you’re spreading rumors that Mitaka Yuma defeated the 【Black King】. In the midst of this emergency, some people are easily misled. I wish you wouldn’t,” he said.
“Is that it? I was just stating a fact… Ah, but you hate facts, don’t you? You fabricated things that never happened when you drove me out of the organization.”
Yasugi’s eyebrow twitched.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I know you don’t like me. Though, I dislike you as well.”
“That makes us even. Is this the first time we’ve agreed on something?”
Aisha smiled, and Yasugi grimaced unpleasantly.
“Anyway, I doubt you came all the way here just to say that, right? What did you come for?” Aisha asked, and Yasugi raised his chin.
“Oh, right. Have you heard about the situation outside?”
“Outside? No. Unfortunately, I don’t have a TV or a smartphone here. I don’t know what’s happening out there.” Aisha shrugged and raised both hands. Yasugi smiled thinly at this.
“Is that so? Actually, the 【Red King】 was heading towards Japan, but it changed course. It’s bypassing Japan and heading towards South America.”
“…What?” This time, Aisha frowned. The 【Red King】 changed course? Ignoring the Red Dungeon in Japan? Several questions arose in Aisha’s mind.
“Too bad, Aisha. There were voices suggesting we bring out Black Armor if the 【Red King】 came to Japan… but now they’ve mostly disappeared.” Yasugi looked at Aisha mockingly, but Aisha was muttering to herself, deep in thought. She always got lost in her own world when she concentrated. Yasugi, her former colleague, remembered that habit.
“Well, whatever. Anyway, Mitaka Yuma’s fate is as good as sealed. I believe Black Armor is your creation, Aisha. You’ve always preached the usefulness of the Black Dungeon. You were trying to create a monster that surpasses Seekers and promote its power to the world, weren’t you?” Yasugi stood up and looked down at Aisha with a contemptuous expression.
“But I can’t allow your overly dangerous toy. Eliminating it from this world is the wise thing to do.”
“…Territory,” Aisha muttered.
“What?” Yasugi frowned at Aisha’s words.
“I see… Monsters from different colored Dungeons have a sense of territory. That’s why Hell Garm targeted Yuma-kun so many times…”
“Hey! What are you talking about?” Aisha snapped back to reality at Yasugi’s shout.
“Oh, you’re still here. Excuse me, excuse me.”
“What have you been muttering about since earlier?” Aisha shook her head, saying “Oh dear,” at Yasugi’s bewildered face.
“Don’t you understand? It’s the reason why the 【Red King】 changed course. Monsters have a sense of territory, and monsters from different colored Dungeons will fight each other. That’s why the Kings try to avoid getting close to other Kings. To avoid unnecessary conflict and create their own habitat.”
“Even if that’s true, it’s no reason to avoid Japan!” Yasugi replied irritably.
“No, I’ve said it many times. Mitaka Yuma is the one who defeated the 【Black King】 and possesses its power. It wouldn’t be strange for the 【Red King】 to avoid him.”
“Ridiculous!” The angry voice echoed in the small visiting room.
“Are you still saying that? Do you want to protect your experiment that much!? Do you not realize how much chaos you’ve caused society because of you?” Yasugi turned on his heel, turning his back to Aisha.
“This was more of a waste of time than I thought. Goodbye.”
“Treat Yuma-kun well, Yasugi. If you want to live a long life from now on.”
“Hmph.” Yasugi snorted lightly and left the visiting room. After leaving the detention center, Yasugi got into a black Limousine and headed to the Prime Minister’s Office.
–I’ll never have to see that woman’s face again.
He arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office in just a few minutes and stopped the car in front of the main entrance. The driver opened the door, and Yasugi got out of the car and straightened his collar. He passed through the automatic glass doors, greeted the staff, and walked down the long corridor.
He had now attained a position recognized by the government. Certainly, when he competed with Aisha Kisaragi for the position of chief researcher, he fabricated information that was unfavorable to her and spread it around. Thanks to that, he was able to knock down Aisha, who was once said to be in a favorable position for promotion. But looking at the current situation, it is clear how right it was that he became the chief researcher.
–I, who have consistently produced results at government expert meetings, and a scholar who has fallen so far as to be in a detention center. It is clear which one should be socially recognized.
Satisfied with his current self, Yasugi walked through the Prime Minister’s Office, entered a large conference room with a large screen, and took his seat. He glanced at the ministers and the Prime Minister lined up, and exhaled softly.
–It is I, not you, who is needed by society, Aisha.
◇◇◇
Before the morning meeting began, Defense Minister Takakura sat in his seat, quietly folding his fingers. From behind Takakura, Councilor Serizawa whispered in his ear.
“Minister, I have received a message from a researcher at Asaka Garrison. They have succeeded in poisoning Mitaka Yuma.”
“I see.”
“However, there is one problem…”
“What is it?” Takakura frowned at Serizawa’s hesitation.
“It has been reported that a Self-Defense Forces officer who was on guard has rebelled.”
“What!? What do you mean?” Takakura suppressed his voice as much as possible so that those around him would not notice, and questioned Serizawa.
“I don’t know the details. After that, it seems that the Self-Defense Forces took Mitaka Yuma’s body out of the facility…”
“What does Chief of Staff Mikoshiba say?”
“That’s the thing, we can’t get in touch with Chief of Staff Mikoshiba either. We don’t know what’s going on, and the information is confusing.”
Takakura put his hand to his mouth and pondered. Has a low-ranking Self-Defense Forces officer betrayed us? Or is it an order from higher up… Could it be Mikoshiba!? Unpleasant thoughts raced through his mind, but he couldn’t know with the current information.
“Anyway! I’ll tell the Prime Minister that Black Armor is dead. Investigate the Self-Defense Forces matter internally and report back. Find Mikoshiba and bring him here.”
“Understood.” Serizawa bowed and left the conference room. Takakura stood up and walked towards the Prime Minister, who was talking to his secretary.
“Prime Minister, may I have a moment?”
“What is it, Takakura?” Prime Minister Iwaki raised his hand, and the secretary nodded and left the scene.
“I have just received a report from Asaka Garrison. Mitaka Yuma’s death has been confirmed.”
“I see! That’s good news.” Iwaki stood up and called out to the attendees who were chatting noisily, “May I have your attention?” The chamber fell silent, and all eyes were on Iwaki.
“Everyone, I have some unfortunate news. Mitaka Yuma, also known as Black Armor, who was being protected at a Self-Defense Forces facility, suddenly fell ill in the early hours of the morning and passed away.”
The venue buzzed. Those who were against killing Black Armor cried out in lament, “What!? Is that true?” while those who were in favor of eliminating him muttered things like “That’s a relief” and “We should have disposed of him sooner.”
Amidst the various voices, Iwaki sat down with a satisfied look. Even the opposition wouldn’t be able to complain if he insisted that he died naturally. With this, all the elements of anxiety had been removed. There was nothing left to hinder his reign.
Just as Iwaki was thinking this, a bureaucrat burst into the conference room.
“T-This is terrible!”
“What is it? So noisy.” Iwaki made a dubious face. The bureaucrat who had rushed in took a breath and looked around at the people gathered in the venue.
“The flock of Dragons heading towards South America… has turned back and is heading towards Japan!!”
The people in the room were speechless. They didn’t understand what he was saying and could only stare at the shouting bureaucrat. Iwaki, for one, could only stand up in a daze.